Binding minds of the north and south the challenge: President‏

President Maithripala Sirisena addressing the nation to mark the independence day today said that one of the main challenges to the country was building unity between the people in the north and the south. 'It is true that the guns of both sides have fallen silent and the war has physically ended, but now the challenge bring the minds of the people in the north and south together', President Sirisena taking part in the national day celebrations held near the Parliamentary complex in Kotte. "The need to build genuine unity among all people of the country after the physical defeat of terrorism in 2009, the necessity to work with speed towards the eradication of poverty and the bringing of Constitutional changes to give effect to establishing a truly democratic country with the genuine sovereignty of Parliament as given in the recent mandate by the people," President Sirisena also said the country would follow the middle path in foreign policy in friendship towards all countries, with due respect to the United Nations Charter and the resolutions adopted by the United Nations. He said that a programme of co-existence and reconciliation will help the nation to show to the world that we are a strong country.